E-news for October 19, 2007
1. IAFP News
3. GR
5. Education PriMed
6. Members in the News
7. Residents
8. News you Can Use
9. Reminders
10. Classifieds


IAFP News

FAMILY PHYSICIANS HELP A COLLEAGUE
One of our members is working on getting privileges for C-sections. Her hospital wanted to know how many other hospitals allow family physicians to do C-sections.
This information is not collected by any organization or agency, so IAFP asked its members via a blast email to help identify which Illinois hospitals allow family physicians to do c-sections. Within 3 days, 46 IAFP members responded and the following hospitals were identified:

Belleville – St. Elizabeth’s Hospital
Carbondale – Memorial Hospital
Dixon – Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital
Chicago – St. Mary of Nazareth/St. Elizabeth Hospital
Chicago – Stroger (formerly Cook County) Hospital
Elgin – Provena St. Joseph Hospital
Elgin – Sherman Hospital
Geneseo – Hammond Henry Hospital 
Gibson City – Gibson Area Hospital
Greenville – Greenville Area Hospital
Kewanee – Kewanee Hospital
Litchfield – St. Francis Hospital
Macomb – McDonough District Hospital
Marion – Heartland Regional Medical Center
Oak Park – West Suburban Hospital 
Princeton – Perry Memorial Hospital
Peoria – Methodist Memorial Hospital of Central Illinois
Watseka -- Iroquois Memorial Hospital

Thank you to everyone for responding so quickly. If you know of any other hospitals in Illinois, where family physicians currently have privileges to do c-sections, please email vkeenan@iafp.com  

PHOTOS FROM THE IAFP 60TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY ARE AVAILABLE
This private party at one of Chicago’s finest art venues included the awards presentations to the Illinois Family Physician of the Year, the Teachers of the Year and more. Nearly 300 turned out to celebrate and congratulate the award recipients. 

Check out the photos of our award recipients on the IAFP Web site at: http://www.iafp.com/PR/2007Awardphotos.htm  

If your photo was taken by the professional photographer at the banquet and you’d like a JPEG file e-mailed to you, please contact Ginnie Flynn via e-mail at gflynn@iafp.com  


GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

**STATE GOVERNMENT 

1. AN UPDATE ON THE OCTOBER VETO SESSION FROM IAFP’S CONTRACT LOBBYING FIRM, COOK-WITTER, INC.

The House adjourned regular session indefinitely. The Speaker’s intent is to give members a week’s notice before coming back into Regular Session, unless the Governor calls them back into Special Session.

The Senate adjourned “until such time as the Senate assembles in Regular, Veto, or Other Session pursuant to the schedule established and published by the Senate President.”

Sixty-nine overrides of the Governor’s reduction vetoes on the budget (HB 3866) passed the Senate on Thursday with a vote of 31-20-8. On Friday, the Senate did not address any more overrides on the budget. Since the actual message was read into the Senate records on October 10, 2007, the last day the Senate may address any further overrides of the budget would be October 25, 2007. While no regular session days have been scheduled, we expect the Senate will go into regular session prior to October 25th.

So in other words, there is still much work to be done and much uncertainty on many of the major issues affecting Illinois. 

2. IF YOU ARE AN ILLINOIS HEALTH CONNECT PRMIARY CARE PROVIDER:
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) asked IAFP to provide an official response about how the Illinois Health Connect program is working.
If you are signed up to be a primary care physician for the Illinois Health Connect program, please respond to the electronic survey. IAFP will present its report to IDHFS on October 26. Results will be reported in the November 2 e-news. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=sHtOCYxJvGLeGuyw3CxOLA_3d_3d  


**FEDERAL UPDATE 

HOUSE FALLS SHORT OF VETO OVERRIDE OF SCHIP BILL 
The House fell 13 votes short of overriding the President’s veto of the SCHIP bill. 
You can view the roll call to see how your Representative voted at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll982.xml  


CME Information:

** CME CONNECTION
IAFP issues an electronic newsletter called “CME Connection” each month dedicated entirely to IAFP CME opportunities and products as well as CME offerings from partner organizations and more. The publication connects IAFP members with CME options that meet their needs. Those interested in listing their CME product or event should contact Kate Valentine at kvalentine@iafp.com . 

**FIND IAFP EVENTS AND OTHER CME OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY PHYSICIANS ANY TIME AT http://www.iafp.com/education/  

PRI-MED CME INFORMATION
Partnering with the IAFP, Pri-Med Updates offers world-class CME programs in your area. Taught by leading experts, you can earn Continuing Medical Education credits at no cost. All activities listed are approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Application for AAFP Prescribed credit has been submitted. 

*Pri-Med Updates
Two-day continuing medical education programs designed for Primary Care Physicians currently engaged in patient care. This program features new and emerging guidelines, therapies, and evidence- based information on multiple therapeutic areas encountered in primary care. 
Chicago, IL-Thursday and Friday, November 1-2, 2007 http://www.pri-med.com/pmo/LiveProgramDetail.aspx?url=/pmo/30/events/30CHI07B/Conference 
St. Louis, MO-Thursday and Friday, December 6-7, 2007 http://www.pri-med.com/pmo/LiveProgramDetail.aspx?url=/pmo/30/events/30STL07B/Conference 

*Pri-Med Updates in Women’s Health
Introducing a new one-day program designed for Obstetricians, Gynecologists and Family Physicians. By attending, you will gain a better understanding of screening techniques and management strategies that will serve the unique needs of your female patients
Chicago, IL-Saturday, November 3, 2007 http://www.pri-med.com/pmo/LiveProgramDetail.aspx?url=/pmo/43/cities/43CHI 

*Pri-Med Online 
Pri-Med.com offers over 200 primary care focused eCME activities at no-cost in 15 key Condition Resource Centers including: ADHD, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, Cancer in Primary Care, Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Hypertension, Infectious Disease, Sleep Disorders and more. Plus, four eCME activity types are offered so you can thoroughly examine a topic, including: Patient case studies, Clinical reviews, Expert perspectives and Multi-media slide lecture series. Earn high-quality physician-authored eCME anytime at www.pri-med.com/onlineCME  .

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Members in the News – If you would like a copy of any of the articles below or you have any news items to share with the IAFP membership, contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com . 

*The Chicago marathon was Sunday October 7th. IAFP has learned of two more members who completed the race under difficult conditions. Congratulations to Travis Swink, DO of Dwight and his summer externship student, Eugene Aquino from Chicago Medical School. 

*Ben Brewer, MD shares insight on the danger nurses face in his October 9 “From the Doctor’s Office” for the Wall Street Journal. While you hear much about patient safety, Dr. Brewer reveals statistical and anecdotal information on nurses being injured on the job, mostly by patients. 

*The debate over the effectiveness of the annual physician exam made the October 12 Tribune page 1 headline. The Trib came to IAFP for help on how family doctors in the field view the annual physical in caring for their patients. John Sage, MD of Mount Prospect and Katie Miller, MD of Decatur offered their perspectives for the article

*Steve Sauerberg, MD of Western Spring took his campaign for the Republican nomination for US Senate on the road and his Pekin stop was covered by the October 12 Peoria Journal–Star. 

*IAFP’s newest Family Physician of the Year, James Valek, MD of Evergreen Park was mentioned in the Daily Southtown on October 15

*President Todd Stroger’s Blue Ribbon Panel announced its recommendations to save the Cook Co. Health System to the Cook County Board of Commissioners on October 16. CBS2 interviewed past IAFP board member Janice Benson, MD – president of the medical staff at Stroger Hospital for her reaction. 

*On October 18, news broke about two Naperville North students infected with the MRSA superbug. IAFP Public Health Committee member Rashmi Chugh, MD is medical director of the DuPage Department of Public Health and was interviewed by NBC5-TV, Fox32-TV and WDCB-FM Radio with information on the virus and safety tips to protect the public. 

*Also October 18 ABC 7 reporter Sylvia Perez covered the topic on how to make the most of your office visit with good communication and asking the right questions. She turned to Loyola family physician James Judge, MD for tips on what patients should do before they go, and the questions to ask the doctor in person. 

*October 18th Lake County Journal also included an article about Sen. Terry Link receiving his IAFP President's Award at our 60th Anniversary party on Oct. 4.

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RESIDENT NEWS:

AAFP SEEKS ENTRANTS FOR RESIDENT SCHOLARS COMPETITION
This year’s competition will focus on two categories 1) Discovery and 2) Synthesis. The application deadline has been extended to Nov. 1. Find information and an application on the AAFP web site at http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/residents/grantsawards/residentscholars.html.  


JOB LISTINGS AND OTHER INFO ON-LINE
Here is a place to start: http://www.iafp.com/JobListings/  

Link to resources for residents IAFP web site http://www.iafp.com/Residents/index.htm  

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

CMS INITIATES PAYMENT HOLD FOR PROVIDERS NOT USING NINE-DIGIT ZIP CODES 
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has kept its word in requiring valid nine-digit ZIP codes on claims for services paid by Medicare contractors under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and for anesthesia services. As indicated in March of this year, CMS started returning claims as unable to process on October 1, 2007. 

FROM THE ABFM – MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION
In the ongoing effort to aid family physicians who are currently participating in the Maintenance of Certification process (MC-FP), ABFM urges all family physicians who certified or recertified in 2004 to complete their Stage 1 requirements by the end of the year, thus retaining eligibility for a 3-year extension of their certificate. 
Remember - the end of the 2007 calendar year represents the MC-FP deadline of Stage 1 for family physicians that last certified or recertified in 2004. Successful completion of each 3-year Stage is necessary to remain eligible for a 3-year extension to their certificate, which is awarded upon completion of Stage 2. Family physicians who do not complete Stage 1 requirements by the deadline will, by default, continue on the 7-year certification path until their next scheduled recertification examination.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact the ABFM Support Center at 877-223-7437


REMINDERS WORTH REPEATING

**NATIONAL CAMPAIGN SHOWCASES “FACES OF INFLUENZA
This American Lung Association educational initiative, Faces of Influenza, will be launched this fall to encourage influenza vaccination among high-risk groups such as the elderly and children, their contacts, the general public, and health care providers. The Faces of Influenza campaign will be also available online, where it will feature a number of interactive components. Flu vaccine season is just around the corner! 

IS YOUR PRACTICE PLANNING A FLU CLINIC THIS FALL? 
Add it to the “Flu Clinic Locator” at the Faces of Influenza Campaign Web site! 
Learn how you can upload information about your upcoming flu clinics at http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=aqKGLXOAIlH&b=3090427  
You will need to complete and submit an agreement to participate. 

Link to Faces of Influenza resources for providers at
http://www.facesofinfluenza.org/health_care_provider.php 

Link to the AAFP Immunization Resource Center: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/clinical/immunizationres.html  

**FROM THE ILLINOIS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH COALITION
Chicago Area Immunization Campaign
Fall General Meeting

Tuesday, October 30, 2007
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

University of Illinois at Chicago
School of Public Health Auditorium

REGISTER ONLINE AT http://www.ilmaternal.org/CAIC/Misc/fall2007genmtg.pdf  

** AUTUMN CAN BE A TIME OF RISK FOR TICKBORNE DISEASES, INCLUDING LYME DISEASE

Ticks can be most active when ground temperatures are 40 degrees or higher. In recent years, the Illinois Department of Public Health has issued vital information about the expanding range of the blacklegged tick in Illinois. The blacklegged tick, commonly called "the deer tick," is capable of transmitting Lyme disease, anaplasmosis (formerly known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis or HGE), and another tick-borne disease caused by a parasite, babesiosis. 

To view a map of Illinois areas where this tick is found and more information about Lyme disease for health care providers in Illinois link to http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/LymeDiseaseHlthProviderInfo.pdf. 

Two other types of ticks, the American dog tick and the lone star tick, are likely present throughout Illinois. Infected American dog ticks are responsible for cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and infected lone star ticks can transmit the agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Both of these infections can be fatal in the absence of recognition and treatment. All of these ticks are capable of transmitting another potentially fatal tickborne disease, tularemia.

Physicians should keep these items in mind when seeing patients who have been spending quality time outdoors. 

**YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED....PHARMA PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
As you are probably aware, patient assistance programs are run by each pharmaceutical company to provide free medications to people who cannot afford to buy their medicine. Sponsored by the PHARMA, the pharmaceutical trade association, the RxAssist web site http://www.rxassist.org  offers a database of the various manufacturer's patient assistance programs, as well as an online tool to complete each manufacturers application. 
While the RxAssist web site represents a significant advance, it falls short of true process standardization nor does it streamline the amount of information required for submission to each company.

If you or someone on your staff have suggestions to improve these programs, we need your input. A focus group with stakeholders from across the nation will be convened in early November to solicit input. If you are interested in participating in this focus group, or sending your written comments, please send your information to: Stanley Borg, D.O. at s_b88@hotmail.com . 


**CHECK YOUR ONLINE PHYSICIAN PROFILE!
As required by law, all Illinois licensed physicians must review, update and verify their online profiles by November 15, 2007. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has created the Profile internet web site as required by amendments to the Illinois Medical Practice Act (225 ILCS 60/24.1) to provide the public with access to information profiles on all physicians and chiropractors licensed in the State of Illinois.

Physicians can access the system at http://www.idfpr.com/applications/ProfessionProfile/ProfileUpdateMain.aspx  and then view their profile by entering their social security number or PIN number (mailed to physicians), and their Illinois license number. There will be no paper submission of information. To receive an e-mail confirming that their profiles are “complete,” physicians should include an e-mail address with their contact info.

For Additional Information...
Call 217-524-4972 or e-mail FPR.Profile@Illinois.gov 


**BRIDGING CARE PLANNER – FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AT YOUR PRACTICE

The Solution
Enhance your quality improvement efforts and chronic care management with the BridgingCare® Planner (BCP) patient registry. 

A registry is a practical tool that enables you to monitor patient care on a routine basis. A registry provides a systematic approach to documenting the quality of care provided. The information is organized in one place for tracking and monitoring the care of either individual patients or a group of patients over time. Through a dynamic reporting capability, a practice can identify patients due for evaluation or intervention and follow specific indicators (e.g. A1c). 

Link to more information at http://www.iafp.com/whatsnew/BCP.htm  


CLASSIFIED ADS:
To place a classified ad, contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com . 

CHAMPAIGN, IL--Christie Clinic is a multi-specialty group of 90 physicians that is recruiting for FP’s for its satellite offices in Danville and Rantoul. Good call schedules. No OB. The clinic is looking for highly motivated FP’s who want to work hard and be rewarded for it. Starting salary could be $190K, with lucrative bonus potential. Earnings well above national and regional averages. Champaign is the home of the University of Illinois, with many cultural, social, and athletic amenities. 2.5 hours south of Chicago. Contact Christopher Kashnig at Christie Clinic. Phone 217-366-5374. E-mail address: ckashnig@christieclinic.com